Created by photographer Cornelia Hediger, Doppelgnger (which means “double walker” in German) and Doppelgnger II are a beautiful exploration of the self in relation to the world around us. Inspired by the many fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, the Switzerland-based artist pieces together multiple images into a grid to create slightly misaligned realities and distortions.
The oddly sized and exaggerated components produce compelling narratives about body image, self-worth, and our conscious versus our unconscious thoughts. Hediger steps in front of the camera to perform as her own subject. To build the backgrounds, she often transforms her apartment with fresh paint or wallpaper, new lighting, and intriguing accessories. She can spend anywhere from eight hours to three days shooting a project, and then she non-digitally assembles the fragmented pieces together. In doing so, Hediger creates visually-split personalities set within uncomfortable scenarios.
“The work depicts a psychological struggle between my Doppelgnger and myself. The project, in itself, is a form of voyeurism and the characters act out this power play between the ego and the alter ego. The idea of the Doppelgnger emblematizes the repressed other within the self; It is the past hunting the present,” explains Hediger.
